file photoEssex County Freeholder Samuel Gonzalez said today that he will not resign from his post.NEWARK -- Gov.-elect Chris Christie today called on Essex County Freeholder Samuel Gonzalez to step down because of the "cloud" that hangs over him after his indictment on charges of election fraud.

"The principle I believe in is once that cloud is over you, I think you owe it to the people who elected you to step aside and to let someone else who doesn’t have that cloud serve," Christie said during a statehouse news conference.

But Gonzalez, in his first public appearance since Tuesday’s indictment, said he had no intention of doing so.

"I won’t resign," Gonzalez said emphatically as he arrived for a freeholder conference meeting at the ornate Hall of Records in Newark.

This week, a state grand jury indicted Gonzalez, as well as aides to Democratic power broker Stephen Adubato and Newark Mayor Cory Booker, and two other county employees on charges of ballot tampering.

In all, five campaign workers from the 2007 campaign of state Sen. Teresa Ruiz -- Gonzalez’s wife -- were accused of fraudulently submitting absentee ballots intended for homebound voters.

Ruiz, who won handily in the 29th District race, has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

In his statehouse remarks, the Republican governor-elect said he has been consistent in his belief that people indicted for activities in connection with their public office should step down.

But Gonzalez’ defenders, specifically Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr., have noted that the freeholder was not charged with official misconduct and that his alleged crimes stem from his activities as a campaign volunteer rather than an office-holder.

Michael Parlavecchio, the freeholder board’s counsel, has said there is no legal mechanism to remove the freeholder from office. "Upon conviction, there are provisions of forfeiture of office, but of course, we’re far from that," he said.

Gonzalez’s fellow freeholders have expressed their admiration for their indicted colleague.

"It’s sad. I think very, very highly of Sam Gonzalez," Freeholder Linda Lordi Cavanaugh said as she arrived at last night’s meeting. Inside the chambers, Cavanaugh and Gonzalez exchanged hugs.

Gonzalez declined to comment further on his case, referring questions to his attorney, John Vazquez, a former first assistant New Jersey attorney general. Vasquez could not be reached for comment.

At the statehouse, Christie said he doesn’t think the indictment has any effect on Ruiz’s ability to continue as a senator. But his opinions on Gonzalez were clear.

"I think that when people are indicted in those things it affects their ability to conduct themselves in office in a completely effective way and that they’re much better off and the people are better off if they step aside. Now that’s not pre-judging innocence or guilt. I think that’s just dealing with the reality of what an indictment means."